Louisville Family Law®

What is Parental Alienation?

What is Parental Alienation?

Posted By
Louis P. Winner

The heated emotions and resentment for the other party is unfortunately
common in divorces. It’s easy to forget that there is perhaps no
more sensitive party to these negative emotions than a child caught in
the crossfire of this divorce case. Sometimes, this anger can cause one
parent to act rashly and start trying to sabotage their child’s
relationship with the other parent, either intentionally or unintentionally.
When the child starts acting negatively to the other parent, this is known
as parental alienation.

Common Signs of Parental Alienation

Fostering parental alienation in a divorce case is illegal, and if courts
find out about it, they will often intervene quickly to try to stop it
from getting worse. This could have serious ramifications on the outcome
of your divorce as well if you are found to be encouraging this alienation.

If you feel as though your child is acting negatively towards you during
your divorce, and you see any of the following signs, you should consult
with your attorney regarding possible parental alienation as soon as possible.

Interprets your actions as being done with sinister motives

Refuses to listen to anything that contradicts the alienating parent’s
side of the story

Black-and-white view of parents (all-good or all-bad, nothing in between)

Treats alienated parent worse when alienating parent is around, but becomes
more normal when they are alone with alienated parent

These are just a few signs the child may exhibit. There are also tell-tale
clues that a parent can give which tip off that they may be attempting
to target their ex to have them removed from their child’s life.
If you see any of these signs, you should bring up the issue with your attorney.

Scheduling activities during other parent’s visitation time

Letting child decide about visits

Using the child as a “messenger,” or putting them in the middle
of your fights

Voicing concern for the child’s safety when in the targeted parent’s care

Downplaying or not wanting to hear about positive experiences the child
has with the targeted parent

Your attorney will want to intervene in the event of parental alienation
as soon as possible. This can do serious psychological damage to a child
and cause them to experience mental issues for a long time going forward
unless you are able to act quickly to restore your relationship.

Do you feel as though you have been the victim of parental alienation in
your divorce? Discuss your case with a Louisville family lawyer from
Louis P. Winner as soon as possible. We understand the volatile and emotionally-charged
nature of family law, and we work to help you come to a fair and successful
outcome that can give you the best future after your issue is resolved.
We understand that your rights need to be protected throughout this process,
and we fiercely represent you through your case from start to finish using
our experienced and tested method of litigation and negotiation.

Call Louis P. Winner today at (502) 812-1889 and discuss your case with a member of our team,
starting with your initial consultation.